Citywise: Oakland to consider beefing up graffiti laws

Oakland Councilwoman Nancy Nadel and City Attorney Barbara Parker are proposing to strengthen anti-graffiti laws and help businesses that are repeated targets of vandals.

Their proposal would make graffiti vandalism a misdemeanor rather than merely an infraction. It also would make the parents of underage violators liable for damages.

Businesses that are frequently vandalized would be eligible for a city cleanup fund.

The proposal also would require property owners to remove graffiti within 10 days after receiving notice from the city.

Oakland law prohibits the sale of graffiti tools to minors but doesn't allow the city to impose stiffer remedies available under state law.

"This ordinance takes a comprehensive approach to provide the city with better tools to eliminate the blight and disrespect that graffiti represents," Nadel said.

The proposal will be considered later this month by the council's Public Works Committee.

San Leandro to weigh in on hospital plan

A proposal to keep San Leandro Hospital and its emergency room open for at least three years goes before the City Council on Monday.

Alameda County Medical Center would own and operate the hospital under the plan, but it needs $6 million annually, said City Manager Chris Zapata. Alameda County Medical Center would contribute $1 million annually and is asking for an estimated $1 million a year each from San Leandro and Alameda County. Eden Township Healthcare District would contribute a lesser amount. There is also the possibility of federal funds, Zapata said.

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Sutter Health owns San Leandro Hospital.

"I remain optimistic that the city will be supportive of the hospital run by Alameda County Medical Center," Mayor Stephen Cassidy said. "Hopefully, Sutter will embrace this plan as well."

Sutter Health owns San Leandro Hospital, whose fourth floor is unoccupied. If Alameda County Medical Center takes ownership, it would transfer its rehabilitation care from Fairmont Hospital to San Leandro Hospital, though not right away, Cassidy said.

"They can't do it overnight. They would have to undertake substantial renovation and get plans and financing," he said.

Alameda County must either bring Fairmont up to state seismic guidelines or move its rehabilitation center.

Alameda County Medical Center's CEO, Wright Lassiter, will give a presentation at the council's meeting, which begins at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 835 E. 14th St.

ABC spins show about Oakland City Hall

Truth might be stranger than fiction in Oakland, but ABC is hoping that fiction draws higher ratings.

The network this week announced that it was developing a prime-time show centered around a fictional Oakland mayor and her young staffers who must solve issues with the city and their love lives.

The show is billed as a cross between "St. Elmo's Fire" and "The West Wing," according to the Hollywood insider website Deadline.com.

If ABC decides to pick up the series, it would be the first prime time show set in Oakland since "Hangin' with Mr. Cooper," a comedy that ran on the same network from 1992 to 1997.

Oakland Army Base amendments unlikely

The City Council put the finishing touches on the $1 billion Oakland Army Base deal this week, but it doesn't look like all of the last-second amendments will actually be implemented.

Council members voted to tweak the Army Base's construction jobs policy -- one week after city leaders and lead developer Phil Tagami signed off on the deal.

The amendments include increasing fines on contractors and firms that fail to meet local hire requirements. The deal signed last week had called for lower penalties than the city would normally impose.

However, with that agreement already set in stone, none of the amendments can go into effect without Tagami's blessing, and he appears unwilling to give it.

In an email Friday, he wrote that the amendments "contained new and ambiguous provisions ... rejected by the developer in our previous negotiations."

On matters that didn't require Tagami's consent, the council approved powers for a citizen commission to oversee local hire requirements and an agreement to govern the use of union labor for the project.